​This summer brings back some familiar faces back to the Big Orange cross country program with WLS alumni volunteering to help with the Run Club and high school girls team.  A reminder to all of us that Big Orange is family.
 
Katelyn Stapleton is a recent graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, where she was a member of the Bishops' cross country and track and field programs.
 
"If I could tell my younger self as a runner anything it would be this-Katelyn, keep finding the joys in each run and each workout.  The workouts (with the exception of speed development because obviously it was my favorite), aren't so horrible.  They're the bread and butter that gives you the fitness needed to accomplish the things we want to achieve.  And these workouts are time spent with teammates, and that time fades fast and soon you'll be wishing you could go back, even if that means dying in the 80 degree weather on the hills of the Ohio Caverns.  It's a balance between serious and fun, commitment and enjoyment, and it's all worth it, so keep showing up, working hard and keep that fire burning."
 
Katelyn will be teaching third grade at London City Schools in the fall.
 
Megan Adams is headed into her senior year at Lee University in Tennessee, where she is majoring in Health Sciences and is a member of the Flames cross country and track and field teams.  Megan plans on pursuing her masters in Nutrition and Dietetics.
 
"Always run with joy," is what Megan would tell her younger self.  She also advises to prioritize strength training and injury prevention.
 
Addison McAuley will be a sophomore at the University of Kentucky, majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders.  Addison is also a member of the Wildcat's club cross country and track and field teams.
 
Addison's advice to her younger self is "slow down and enjoy every second."
 
Also volunteering were Mallory Bostick, Claire Longshore and Ashley Yoder.  Mallory will be a sophomore at Otterbein University, where she's a member of the track and field team and majoring in Zoo and Conservation Science.  Claire Longshore is employed in the dental field and is planning to pursue a degree in dental hygiene.  Ashley Yoder will be a sophomore at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, majoring in Exercise Science.  She's also a member of the cross country and track and field teams.

The 50th Annual Ohio Caverns Max Evans Memorial Invitational is set for Saturday, September 24th, 2022. The day kicks off with the Big Orange Alumni 5K and Youth 1 Mile Run starting at 8:00 a.m. Both races are open to the public. Registration is at the link below. Race day registration is also available from 7:00-7:30 a.m.

After the Alumni Run you can support the state ranked Big Orange cross country teams.
Race Schedule:
8:40 a.m. High School Girls
9:20 a.m. High School Boys
10:00 a.m. Middle School Girls
10:30 a.m. Middle School Boys

​After the races, we will be celebrating our Big Orange seniors, Owen Harrison, Michael Jones, Chandler McCafferty and Micah Smith. Finally, make a day of it with a tour of the Ohio Caverns. Go Big Orange!